and henceforward
there was no failure in the regular supply of provisions to the castaways.

DESPATCH FROM OVANDO.

Eight months had passed away without any tidings of Mendez, when, one
evening there hove in sight a small caravel which stood in towards the
harbour of Santa Gloria, and anchored just outside. A boat which put off
from the caravel brought on shore her commander, a certain Diego de
Escobar, whom Columbus recognized as a person whom he had sentenced to be
hanged as it ringleader in Roldan's mutiny, and who had been pardoned by
Bobadilla. The proceedings of this person--whose reprieve must have now
seemed to the admiral particularly injudicious--were singular enough.
Standing at a distance from Columbus, as if the admiral had been in
quarantine, he shouted, at the top of his voice, a message from Ovando, to
the effect that he (the governor) regretted the admiral's misfortunes very
keenly, that he hoped before long to send a ship of sufficient size to
take him off. He added, that in the meantime, Ovando begged him to accept
a slight mark of his friendship. The "slight mark of his friendship"
was--a side of bacon, which, with a small cask of wine and a letter from
Ovando he delivered to the admiral; and rowed off as fast as possible. The
whole scheme of this visit, which was probably planned by Ovando with the
object of ascertaining the real condition and designs of Columbus, was in
the last degree insulting to him and tantalizing to his companions, with
whom D'Escobar would not permit any communication to be held. However, the
admiral wrote a civil reply to Ovando, describing piteously the hardships
of his condition, and disclaiming any ulterior design with regard to the
government of Hispaniola. Carrying this missive, D'Escobar set sail at
once, and was out of sight, on his return voyage, before the morning of
the day after his arrival.

OVERTURES TO MUTINEERS.

This mysterious visit was by no means satisfactory to the admiral's
companions. As he alone had held communication with D'Escobar, he was free
to give them whatever account he chose of his interview; and this liberty,
it may be parenthetically observed, he did not scruple to exercise
somewhat at the expense of strict truth. He represented himself as having
refused to depart with D'Escobar, because the caravel was too small to
carry them all away, and he was determined to share their lot, confident
in Ovando's assurance of speedy succour. He